Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies: Torchwood’s new series has more flair

As Torchwood returns, Doctor Who writer
Russell T Davies talks to Metro about where he stands on Doctor Who conventions, how Queer As Folk changed his career and why his ITV comedy drama Bob & Rose failed to make a splash.

Russell T Davies’ new Doctor Who-related show Torchwood returns for a fourth series this week (Rex Features)

The new series is a US co-production. Is it difficult to produce this type of show here?

Moneyâs tight across the entire BBC but this isnât new â there hasnât been a Dickens adaptation for 25 years that hasnât had some American moneyÂ in it. We took input from peopleÂ as well as money, so itâs a properÂ co-production. The more people you work with, the more you learn.

What were you able to do with this series you hadnât before?

If we didnât get any American money weâd have gone ahead and made it in Britain but weâve had more money than ever before. In Britain it was always in the shadow of Dr Who, which got the big budgets, and Torchwood suffered slightly as a consequence. Weâve had more money for things like helicopter chases, so we can have a bit of flair, but itâs still backed up by good scripts.

Did you think it wasnât coming back?

It took 18 months of work to get made just in terms of drawing up contracts. I brought Doctor Who back after it was off-screen for 16 years, so Iâm not worried about gaps.

What do you think of the current series of Doctor Who?

I love it. Their greatest task is to get the episode to me in America for each Saturday. They show it in America but they have adverts in it and I canât watch Doctor Who with adverts. I adore it. Itâs made by the most talented people in the British Isles.

Whatâs the most fannish thing youâve ever done?

I wrote a Doctor Who novel in 1996. There was an adult range of novels when the series was off-air, which could include sex and drug taking. Iâve never been to a convention. As much as I love Doctor Who, Iâm not giving up another weekend to it â I lost every weekend for six years.

Have you ever been upset by any continuity mistakes in the show?

No, Iâm not one of thoseÂ fans and I think theyâre very rare.Â I remember the regeneration of William Hartnell, so Iâve seenÂ all 11 doctors and itâs alwaysÂ slightly contradicted itself. If youâre determined to be rigid in your continuity, it doesnât make much sense to be a Doctor Who fan because youâre never going to be happy. Itâs almost 50 years old but essentially itâs still the same story without a reboot or cannibalisation. Weâre so lucky as fans to have that.

Which of your shows has been under appreciated?

Bob & Rose. It transmitted the day after September 11 and no one wanted to watch an ITV comedy drama â we all thought we were getting anthrax in the post. The first episode of that is the best thing Iâve ever written. They repeat every other show on ITV3 but whereâs Bob & Rose?

Which actor has had the biggest influence on a role youâve written for them?

Possibly Aidan Gillen from Queer As Folk. He was brilliant in that role and that show changed my career â I wouldnât have had Doctor Who without it. We auditioned every male actor under 30 in Britain for that and Aidan Gillen stole it.

How has TV drama changed since you started in it?

Itâs tough and it should be tough â it should never be easy to be given millionsÂ of pounds to make a drama. The coalition government is doing terrible things to the BBC but drama will survive even if we end up putting on a play in a backroom of a pub.

Are you pursuing a career in Hollywood now?

Iâm in LA to do more TV work for the BBC. I donât want to do more science fiction butÂ I get offered a lot of it. Every week someone phones up saying: âDoÂ you want to reinvent Lost In Space?â I love the domestic stuff, so I want to get back to that.